Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet will be considering options for setting the 2026/27 Council budget at its meeting to be held on Monday. Options put forward are a Council Tax increase of 4.6% (£1.46 per week on a Band D property) or a Council Tax increase of 7.5% (£2.38 per week on a Band D property).

Leader of the Council, Cllr Jon Harvey said: “In setting this year’s budget it’s our intention to ask the least possible from tax paying residents while still providing the vital services they rely upon.

“I’m anticipating Cabinet recommending to Council a Council Tax increase at the lower end of the options range at Monday’s meeting.

“I believe that this is deliverable, whilst protecting services and providing significantly more money, an additional £4.7M for our schools.

“Extra money is also needed for our highway maintenance teams, our building maintenance teams and our street cleaning teams. We know these services are important to residents and so we intend to prioritise them.

“The pandemic and the resulting shocks to the financial system, coupled with increased demands in social care provision brought with it very difficult but unavoidable increases in Council Tax.

“Going forward, I am very aware we cannot keep asking residents to pay significantly more and it is our intention to get back to Council Tax increases that are broadly in line with inflation.”

The Cabinet meets at 10am on Monday, February 9 and the meeting will be broadcast as normal via the webcast at https://pembrokeshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home